Patrick Dawson (12) of Dunedin North Intermediate convincingly won the 2005 Otago Primary/Intermediate schools individual championship held recently at the Otago Chess Club. In scoring a possible 5 points out of 5, he headed off Alex Ming-Wong (9, Maori Hill School), Nabeelah Saib (12, Tahuna Normal Int.) and Ben Watts (12, Balmacewan School) who shared 2nd on 4 points each.
Today's game is taken from the A grade of the recent Otago club championship. Brent Southgate, playing Black, has recently risen to A grade strength. Often an improving player's understanding of the game will increase with a jump, yet it is some time before this increase in strength is reflected fully in their results against stronger opponents. It takes a step in confidence. Despite gaining a decisive advantage with some brilliant and original play, the tenacious defence from his strong opponent, Duncan Watts, tests Southgate's resolve.
1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Bf4 c5 4.e3 Bf5 5.c3 Qb6 6.Qb3 c4!?
White has essayed the London System, a solid opening with the sound aim of developing the dark-squared bishop outside white's pawn chain. Black's last move forces the exchange of queens opening the a-file for Black's rook, giving Black the initiative on the queenside in return for a weakened pawn structure. 7.Qxb6 axb6 8.Nbd2 Nbd7 9.Be2 e6 10.0-0 b5 11.a3 Nb6
White's last move prevented the desirable thrust b4 by Black, so he instead manouvres the knight to attack the backward pawn on b2. White in turn seeks to eliminate Black's light-square bishop which awkwardly controls the square b1. 12.Ne5 Na4 13.g4 Bg6 14.Nxg6 hxg6 15.Rab1 Bxa3!
A courageous decision. Black gets 3 connected passed pawns for his bishop, but White's extra piece could easily be turned to account if they are successfully blockaded. Key to the result are several tactical ideas, including the awkward knight fork on the next move which cramps the White pieces. 16.bxa3 Nxc3 17.Rbe1 Rxa3 18.Bf3? ---
Too slow. White needed to exchange the dangerous Black knight and bring his dark squared bishop to the defence by 18 Nb1! Nxe2+ (or 18 --- Nxb1 19 Rxb1 Ra5 20 Bd6 Ne4 21 Bb4 and the pawns are stopped) 19 Rxe2 Rb3 20 f3! and White has chances of making his extra piece count. Now Black cuts it off from the Queenside and at the same time makes way for his other rook to join the action. 18. --- Kd7! 19.Nb1 b4!!
A brilliant move – of the type computers still find hard to grasp. By giving up a further exchange Black advances and improves the structure of his three connected passed pawns. White's extra rook is unlikely to be enough to stop them. 20.Nxa3 bxa3 21.Ra1 Ra8 22.Rfc1 Nfe4 23.Bd1 b5?!
Missing a tactical way to accelerate the pawns with 23 --- Nxd1! 24 Rxd1 Nc3 25 Re1 (25 Rdc1? Ne2+) b5 when the b-pawn will descend like a hammer. The move played allows White to eject the annoying knight from c3 and bring the bishop to the defence. 24.f3! Nxd1 25.fxe4 Nb2 26.exd5 exd5 27.Bg3 b4 28.Be1 Nd3 29.Bxb4! Nxc1!
It was time for White to start returning the extra material, and Black's reply ensures he gets a whole rook for his a and b pawns. 29 --- Nxb4 was also good. 30.Rxc1 a2 31.Ra1 Rb8 32.Rxa2 Rxb4
If 32 Bc3 then Rb3 would have forced 33 Rxa2 anyway. Now Black, a pawn ahead, still has a winning position. But perhaps fazed by White's prolonged resistance and possibly satisfied with his efforts, he offered a draw which White accepted with alacrity. For White cannot activate his rook, since 33 Ra7+ Kd6! 34 Rxf7? c3 35 Rf1 c2 wins. In fact White must play 33 Rc2 to prevent c3 and Rc4 by Black, after which Black can win by bringing the king up to support the advance of the c-pawn.
Confidence aids step up
Problem: White to play and mate in 4.Patrick Dawson (12) of Dunedin North Intermediate convincingly won the 2005 Otago Primary/Intermediate schools individual championship held recently at the Otago Chess Club. In scoring a possible 5 points out of 5, he headed off Alex Ming-Wong (9, Maori Hill School), Nabeelah Saib (12, Tahuna Normal Int.) and Ben Watts (12, Balmacewan School) who shared 2nd on 4 points each.
Today's game is taken from the A grade of the recent Otago club championship. Brent Southgate, playing Black, has recently risen to A grade strength. Often an improving player's understanding of the game will increase with a jump, yet it is some time before this increase in strength is reflected fully in their results against stronger opponents. It takes a step in confidence. Despite gaining a decisive advantage with some brilliant and original play, the tenacious defence from his strong opponent, Duncan Watts, tests Southgate's resolve.
1.d4 d5
2.Nf3 Nf6
3.Bf4 c5
4.e3 Bf5
5.c3 Qb6
6.Qb3 c4!?
White has essayed the London System, a solid opening with the sound aim of developing the dark-squared bishop outside white's pawn chain. Black's last move forces the exchange of queens opening the a-file for Black's rook, giving Black the initiative on the queenside in return for a weakened pawn structure.
7.Qxb6 axb6
8.Nbd2 Nbd7
9.Be2 e6
10.0-0 b5
11.a3 Nb6
White's last move prevented the desirable thrust b4 by Black, so he instead manouvres the knight to attack the backward pawn on b2. White in turn seeks to eliminate Black's light-square bishop which awkwardly controls the square b1.
12.Ne5 Na4
13.g4 Bg6
14.Nxg6 hxg6
15.Rab1 Bxa3!
A courageous decision. Black gets 3 connected passed pawns for his bishop, but White's extra piece could easily be turned to account if they are successfully blockaded. Key to the result are several tactical ideas, including the awkward knight fork on the next move which cramps the White pieces.
16.bxa3 Nxc3
17.Rbe1 Rxa3
18.Bf3? ---
Too slow. White needed to exchange the dangerous Black knight and bring his dark squared bishop to the defence by 18 Nb1! Nxe2+ (or 18 --- Nxb1 19 Rxb1 Ra5 20 Bd6 Ne4 21 Bb4 and the pawns are stopped) 19 Rxe2 Rb3 20 f3! and White has chances of making his extra piece count. Now Black cuts it off from the Queenside and at the same time makes way for his other rook to join the action.
18. --- Kd7!
19.Nb1 b4!!
A brilliant move – of the type computers still find hard to grasp. By giving up a further exchange Black advances and improves the structure of his three connected passed pawns. White's extra rook is unlikely to be enough to stop them.
20.Nxa3 bxa3
21.Ra1 Ra8
22.Rfc1 Nfe4
23.Bd1 b5?!
Missing a tactical way to accelerate the pawns with 23 --- Nxd1! 24 Rxd1 Nc3 25 Re1 (25 Rdc1? Ne2+) b5 when the b-pawn will descend like a hammer. The move played allows White to eject the annoying knight from c3 and bring the bishop to the defence.
24.f3! Nxd1
25.fxe4 Nb2
26.exd5 exd5
27.Bg3 b4
28.Be1 Nd3
29.Bxb4! Nxc1!
It was time for White to start returning the extra material, and Black's reply ensures he gets a whole rook for his a and b pawns. 29 --- Nxb4 was also good.
30.Rxc1 a2
31.Ra1 Rb8
32.Rxa2 Rxb4
If 32 Bc3 then Rb3 would have forced 33 Rxa2 anyway. Now Black, a pawn ahead, still has a winning position. But perhaps fazed by White's prolonged resistance and possibly satisfied with his efforts, he offered a draw which White accepted with alacrity. For White cannot activate his rook, since 33 Ra7+ Kd6! 34 Rxf7? c3 35 Rf1 c2 wins. In fact White must play 33 Rc2 to prevent c3 and Rc4 by Black, after which Black can win by bringing the king up to support the advance of the c-pawn.
½- ½
Solution: 1 Nxe6+! Ke7 (1 ... Rxe6 2 Qh8+ K any 3 Rg7#) 2 Rxg7+! Kxe6 3 Qg6+ Kxe5 4 f4#)